Opinion: Passion, leadership, empathy connect the honorees

Anthony Roberts

Congratulations to the 20 men selected as recipients of Springfield Business Journal’s Men of the Year class of 2024!

This accolade recognizes their leadership and impact within our community, underscoring their varied contributions across many fields including banking, education, health care, insurance, investments and the nonprofit sector. Despite my personal acquaintance with only a handful of them, it is clear their shared traits and values likely overshadow their differences, contributing to their nomination and ultimate selection as Men of the Year.

I am sure they all have an incredible passion for the work they do in our community. While there are few different definitions of passion, the one I prefer is “a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm or desire for anything.” You could ask each one of them and they would obviously have a great passion for their family and friends. They would undoubtedly have a passion for their work and the difference they make for their clients, customers and co-workers. The passion they show on a daily basis is certainly one of the reasons they were nominated.

I would suspect another thing they all have in common is their desire to be leaders and agents of change in our community. Each person has their own leadership style and leadership journey. Most, if not all, had an amazing mentor early in their business career, or even earlier during their high school or college years. Each one of these men lead in a variety of diverse ways, but all are driven to have influence in their various areas of vocation.

One of my favorite quotes on leadership comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

These 20 gentlemen likely adhere to this statement.

Lastly, I would guess each of these men has a level of empathy for those in their circles of life. When I think of empathy, I think of this quote from Maya Angelou: “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

In a world craving genuine connections, it is vitally important that we focus on how we interact with those around us and to always show grace because we never know what people are dealing with in their day-to-day lives.

These men exemplify what it means to drive positive change, not only through their professional accomplishments but in the way they live their lives, fostering a community where everyone is encouraged to thrive. Their example is a beacon for all, illustrating the profound effect of leadership imbued with passion, innovation and empathy. Once again, congratulations to the SBJ Men of the Year 2024 for their remarkable achievements and for setting a standard of excellence and compassion in our community.

Anthony Roberts is executive director of Community Blood Center of the Ozarks and a 2023 Men of the Year honoree. He can be reached at robertsa@cbco.org.